Serving the Deaf Community since 1885
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1885
First MAD convention held at Minnesota School for the Deaf
The Association’s first President was Dr. J. L. Smith. Other officers were First Vice President, W. E. Dean, O. Hanson, and Treasurer, O. Gunderson.
Our History
Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens (MADC) was established in 1885, and is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. MADC advocates for and promotes a better quality of life and social wellness of Deaf people through its membership, activities and advocacy.
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MADC is run by a Board of Directors that is elected every two or four years at MADC's biennial conference.
MADC was organized at the first reunion held at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf in Faribault on June 24-26, 1885. It was incorporated under the laws of Minnesota in June 1906. MADC was the first of the states to affiliate with the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) at its biennial convention in Moorhead on August 3, 1957. The name of the Minnesota Association of the Deaf was changed to Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens, Inc., at its convention in Pengilly, Minnesota in July 1977. In August 1985, MADC celebrated its Centennial on the campus of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf. MADC changed from 501(c)(4) to 501(c)(3) in 2025.
MADC Board
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Kathleen is an advocate for the Deaf, DeafBlind, and CMV communities and a proud mother of a CODA. She serves as a DeafBlind Intervener at Metro Deaf School, supporting students with combined hearing and vision loss. She also served as President of the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens for the 2025–2027 term.
Kathleen is currently writing a memoir about her experience with congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) to raise awareness and serves as Minnesota Community Alliance Chair for the National CMV Foundation, promoting education and advocacy statewide.
Jackie is a proud Latina leader known for her warmth, approachability, and genuine commitment to the communities she serves. She is actively involved in the Deaf community, providing governance support as a Bylaws Advisor to multiple organizations, where she helps strengthen structural integrity and ensure compliance with established bylaws and procedures. In addition, Jackie serves on several boards, contributing her leadership and oversight to advance organizational effectiveness and community impact.
Damon is a longtime advocate for the Deaf and DeafBlind communities, having served in multiple Board positions with the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens (2019–2023) and with MNLoonASLTA (2003-2018)
He is currently in his 26th year as an ASL teacher and teaches at Mounds View High School. In addition, Damon has more than 30 years of experience as a Deaf mentor, supporting pre-certified and certified interpreters, families with Deaf children, and emerging Deaf mentors. He resides in the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities with his wife and four children and enjoys playing card games and watching horror films.
Kyle Laughery serves as Treasurer of the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens (MADC) for the 2025–2027 term. With more than a decade of experience in Minnesota schools as a Paraprofessional and DeafBlind Intervener, he brings both financial stewardship and a strong understanding of the Deaf and DeafBlind community to his role. Kyle is committed to maintaining transparency, accountability, and long-term sustainability for MADC. Outside of his professional work, he enjoys hiking, yoga, paddle boarding, and supporting local businesses.
Kim has served multiple terms as Member-at-Large for the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens (MADC) in 2009, 2012, 2019, 2024, and 2025. She led the St. Paul/Minneapolis Black Deaf Advocates Chapter #25 as President for 25 years (1997–2022) and currently serves as Vice President. Since 2020, she has worked as an Event Planner for Traveling Deaf Women of Diversity. Kim also founded and directed Deaf Culture Salon (2012–2016), fostering spaces that celebrated Deaf culture and strengthened community engagement.
Sachiko is a Japanese-Mexican Deaf woman with more than 13 years of experience in community development and nonprofit leadership across the United States and internationally. I serve in leadership roles with ThinkSelf, CorpsTHAT, CASLI, and the Minnesota Deaf and Hard of Hearing Hockey Association.
My work centers on partnering with communities to develop practical, community-driven tools that strengthen leadership capacity and support sustainable, long-term growth.
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MEMBER AT LARGE
VACANT​
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If you are interested in serving on the Board as a
Member-at-Large, please email your statement of interest to board@minndeaf.org. Thank you.
MEMBER AT LARGE
VACANT
.png)
If you are interested in serving on the Board as a
Member-at-Large, please email your statement of interest to board@minndeaf.org. Thank you.